Litter bag and hanger therefor



Aug. 18,1959 H. H. STYERS 2,900,156

LITTER BAG AND HANGER THEREFOR Filed Oct. 4, 195a 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ffcm H JZya/v Aug 18, 1959 H. H. sTYERs LITTER BAG AND HANGER THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Shae? 2 Filed Oct. 4, 1956 JJYZEJJLUF Harv u H 5762 0" United States Patent LITTER BAG AND HANGER THEREFOR Henry H. Styers, Chicago, 111. v Application October 4, 1956, Serial No. 613,887

2 Claims. (Cl. 248-99) This invention relates to improvements in flexible bagtype containers, and means for supporting and sanitarily sealing the same.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a flexible bag-type container adapted to be suspended within an automobile, and/or, from any bar or rail suitable to support a bag, so that the bag is readily available to receive litter or the like, which is to be discarded.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a new type litter bag, attractive in appearance, having a large compartment and a supporting means embodying a hook member adapted to be hooked on a rail in a vehicle, so that the bag can be supported with its mouth portion wide open, or in closed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved flexible bag-type container formed of laminated sheet material, comprising closed side and bottom portions, an open mouth portion, and a bendable strip of metal suitably covered and secured adjacent the open mouth portion thereof; the metal strip reinforcing the upper edge portion of the bag while it is being supported,

and said strip also forming a sealing means when the bag is closed. a

Another object of the invention is the provision of a container of above character whose walls are formed of thin, flexible material such as metal foil combined with polyethylene, or the like, having a large compartment receptive to commodities including articles, comminuted materials, any substance having a degree of fluidity, or any litter to be discarded but retained within a bag until the time and place is reached for discarding the bag and contents, or only the contents therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bag with a suitable mouth portion, a plurality of holes in the upper portion of the body adjacent its open end, a slit type opening in each side fold to receive the end portions of the reinforcing and sealing metal strips secured to the bag; whereby the metal strip can hold the bag in open position ready to receive any litter without the necessity of opening the bag by hand.

A still further object is to provide a flexible bag whose walls are composed of an outer layer of metal foil and an inner layer of heat scalable polyethylene; a reinforcing strip secured to the upper edge portion of the said bag; said strip consisting of a bendable strip of metal enclosed within a covering composed of metal foil and polyethylene, said metal strip entirely enclosed, and sealed within its wrapper, by said polyethylene and with the application of heat applied to the polyethylene films in face-to-face contact.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel sanitary flexible container made of coated laminated material, impervious to air and moisture and which is adapted to be supported, opened, and closed as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bag or container which can be securely closed without the use of any additional means not forming a part thereof such as string, wire, gum-tape etc.

M ice A further object of the invention is to provide an improved litter bag and supporting means therefor for. use in automobiles, said device being very inexpensive to manufacture, being readily attached to and detached from any rail in the automobile, being neat in appearance, being compact in size, and being rugged in construction.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheet of drawings which, by way of a preferred example only, illustrates several embodiments of the invention.

On the drawing:

Figure 1 is an inside elevational view of a vehicle door, showing a closed bag and the invention arranged thereon; t

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a flexible bellowssided bag-having its mouth portion closed and in sealed position with a supporting member applied thereto in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view showing one form of a supporting device embodying a part of the present invention;

Figure 4 is an end elevational View of the supporting device shown by Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of one form of practical container, or bag, which may be employed in carrying out the present. invention, the same being shown with one end open and a bendable metal strip secured to the rear side thereof, a portion of the outer layer of the bag being removed showing the waterproof inner layer of said bag;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the bag shown in Figure 5, disclosing the open slit portion in the sidewalls thereof and the supporting device positioned through opening in the rear wall thereof;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the bag shown in Figures 5 and 6 embodying the present invention, said bag being opened in the intended manner with the bendable metal strip extending through the slits in- Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail the reference character 10 designates a vehicle door supporting on its door handle a flexible container, or litter bag 11, in closed position.

The invention resides in the provision of a flexible bag 11, the same embodying an outer layer of metal foil 12 and an inner layer of polyethylene 14, preferably having a flat bottom 15 and formed at each side with gussets 16 normally infolded along a central longitudinal crease line 17, the gussets extending up to the top of the bag. and a rear sidewall 19. The rear wall 19 having secured thereto and adjacent its upper end portion a metal strip 20 enclosed in a suitable wrapper as shown by Figures 8 and 9. The strip 20 is assembled in a folded over piece of laminated material, such as metal foil 13 laminated with a plastic such as a polyethylene 14, the strip- 20 being entirely surrounded and in contact with the layers of plastic, or polyethylene 14. By the application of heat and pressure the metal strip is sealed within The bag 11 embodying a front sidewall 18 2,900,156 a e e its wrapper without the application or use of glue or other adhesives. Said wrapped strip 20 is assembled to said bag 11 by suitable means. After said bag and said strip 20 are assembled Sogether, a plurality of suitable openings, perfora ons 25, 26,27, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32 are punched iherein. The holes or openings 25, 26, 27, and 28 are suitably spaced in the front wall 18 of the bag 11. The openings 29 and 30 in the rear Wall, are positioned directly to the rear of the holes 25 and 26 in the front wall; said holes having been punched through the bag material and said strip 20 assembled therewith. The holes 31 and 32 are positioned in the rear wall directly to the rear of holes 27 and 28 in the front wall. The top of the bag is constructed to be folded along the line 35, shown in Figure 5, said line being parallel to the open edge portion of the bag and mid-way between openings 25 and 27, 26 and 28, 29 and 31, 30 and 32.

Perforate'd slots 36 and 37 are provided in the longitudinal crease line 17 adjacent the upper end of the bag 11. When the bag 11 is to remain open as shown by Figure 7, the end portions 38 and 39 of strip 20 are folded toward the front side of the bag and inserted through said opening into the inside of the bag, thereby holding said bag in maximum open position while it is in use.

' In order to support a bag during its use in a vehicle, a hanger or metal strap 40 is provided, said strap having its upper end laterally bent as at 41 and its free end bent as at 42, to provide a plurality of hooks 43 and 44. The lower end of said strap, or supporting means 40, is provided with the lower portion laterally bent as at 46 and its free end upwardly as at 47, providing a plurality of hooks 48 and 49; said hooks 48 and 49 extending outwardly at an angle of approximately 20 with the vertical plane ofthe hanger 40. In practice, by fastening the hanger 40 with the hooks 43 and 44 over a bar, or door handle 50, as illustrated by Figure 1 in the drawings, and by placing an open bag 11 upon hooks 48 and 49 as shown by Figure 6, the bag can then be opened to maximum position and held there by the metal strip 20 as shown by Figure 7, the ends 38 and 39 of said strip being folded and inserted into the interior of the bag. The open bag is ready for the placement of litter therein according to the invention.

After the bag has been in use and it is desired to close the same, the end portion 38 and 39 of said strip 20 are removed from the interior of the bag, the upper edge portions of the front and rear Walls of the bag are pressed together. Said edge portion of the bag, along with the strip 20, is then folded downwardly along line 25, and in contact with the front wall, and the end portion 38 and 39 of the metal strip 20 are then folded about the edge portions of the bag and in contact with the rear wall'thereof. It is to be notedv that when the bag 11 is folded in the closed position the openings 25 through 32 come into alignment and form substantially only two openings 29 and 30 as shown by Figures 1 and 2. The closed bag is supported. upon the books 48 and 49 by inserting said hooks through the openings 29 and 30 as well as the other openings arranged to the rear thereof in said bag.

From the above description it should, therefore, be understood that this invention provides a novel, attractiv'e flexible bag-type container to be placed and supported in any suitable place in a vehicle such as an automobile, to be used to hold an accumulation of litter, preventing the discarding of same by dropping it out the vehicle window and onto the highway. Since the bag is waterproof, and the preferred form made with an outer layer of foil with attractive printing, or pictures thereon, the bag is not unsightly while in use and can be of great value to the user. This type of package is attractive and useful to consumers of all ages since it avoids the disadvantages heretofore encountered. A bag-type container of the above type infers the advantages that the bag can be fully opened and closed as many times as desired without being mutilated.

It will be understood that the variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of this invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A container construction of the character described which comprises: a flexible disposable bag; a bendable band member secured thereto and effective to maintain the bag in an open position during use and to close one end of the bag prior to disposing the same; and a onepiece plate member removably attached to the bag and to the band member for supporting the bag in a dependent position from a supporting member; said bag being of generally rectangular shape and having a bottom, front and rear walls, a pair of side walls, and an open top wall, the front and rear walls each having two pairs of openings therein with the openings in the front wall in horizontal alignment with the openings in the rear wall when the bag is in an open position of use, said openings comprisa ing an upper pair and a lower pair, the bag being adapted to be folded into a closed position along a horizontal line between the upper and lower pairs of openings, the side walls being provided with vertical slits terminating at their lower ends above the horizontal fold line and at their upper ends downwardly of the open top wall of the bag; the bendable band member having a pair of horizontally aligned openings therein registering with the upper pair of openings in the rear wall of the bag, said band member being secured to the bag rear wall parallel to the top wall of the bag with openings of said member in registration with the upper pair of openings in the rear wall of the bag, the band member being bendable at the juncture of the side walls and rear wall of the bag to provide forwardly extending end portions received in the vertical slits in the side walls to maintain the bag in an open position; and the supporting one-piece plate member being shaped at one end to provide a pair of spaced generally U-shaped tangs to be received in the pair of openings in the band member and aligned upper pair of openings in the bag rear wall, and at its opposite end being provided with a pair of substantially U-shaped spaced tangs to be engaged with a supporting member; said bag being closable by contacting the upper ends of the front and rear walls, folding the same along the horizontal line, and bending the end portions of the band member onto the rear wall of the bag, the openings in the band member, and upper and lower pairs of openings in the front and rear walls being thereupon in registry.

2. A collapsible and disposable bag construction comprising, a bag having an open top and front, rear, side and bottom walls, each of side walls being provided essentially midway between the front and rear walls with a vertical slit closed at both ends, and a bendable elongated member fixedly attached to the rear wall of the bag slightly downwardly of the top thereof, said member being bendable into U-shape configuration to provide end portions received in the side wall vertical slits maintaining the bag in open position and bendable in the same direction to engage the front and rear walls of the bag after the upper ends of said walls have been singly folded downwardly into contacting relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,928,153 Hess Sept. 26, 1933 2,023,682 Higginbottom Dec. 10, 1935 2,214,172 Moore Sept. 10, 1940 2,220,231 Gilfillan Nov. 5, 1940 2,392,062 Quackenbush Jan. 1, 1946 

